1. Field of the Invention
The present application is directed to a football training aid which is utilized to instruct individuals in the proper techniques employed in the game of football. The present application discloses an elongated flexible strip of material which is lined along each edge with a strip of Velcro and which has applied thereto a plurality of player position mats and a plurality of play mats which include a strip of Velcro so as to removably affix the plurality of player position mats and the plurality of play mats to the elongated strip of flexible material.
2. Prior Art
Heretofore, to train an individual in the proper techniques employed in the game of football, it has been customary to provide instruction by positioning a number of individuals at the various positions along a line-of-scrimmage and assigning positions to each individual. For example, on the offense an individual would be designated as the center, two individuals would be designated as the guards, two individuals would be designated as the tackles, two individuals would be designated as the ends, an individual would be designated as the quarterback, two individuals would be designated as the halfbacks, and an individual would be designated as the fullback. Similarly, on the defense individuals would be given positions as the defensive line, the linebackers, and the defensive backfield. Thus, to properly instruct an individual in the techniques involved with the game of football, it has hithertofore been necessary to have at least twenty-two players or individuals who may be assigned the various positions so that each individual knows exactly where he or she should be positioned relative to the other players.
This traditional approach utilized in instructing an individual in the proper techniques in playing the game of football has a number of deficiencies which are readily overcome by the subject matter of the present invention. Namely, when a plurality of individuals are positioned on a playing field each being designated with a different position it is difficult for a novice in the game of football to remember exactly which position the other individuals have been assigned. More particularly, it is extremely difficult for the novice quarterback, halfbacks or fullback to remember exactly where he should move when a particular play is called. Therefore, if the quarterback decides that the left halfback should carry the ball between the left guard and the left tackle it is sometimes difficult for the novice left halfback to remember exactly where the left guard and left tackle is positioned. Thus, confusion often arises and the individual who is attempting to learn the game of football becomes frustrated and disappointed.
A number of prior art devices have been developed to facilitate the instruction of an individual in the game of football. One prior art device, U.S. Pat. No. 2,458,984 issued to C. A. Engle, was designed to accurately carry out the movement of the backs in the backfield without the necessity of occupying the time of the linemen. The device disclosed in the Engle patent consists of a strip of material containing only the designation of the offensive line members. The strip of flexible material may be a continuous strip with the appropriate designation of the offensive or may be a strip consisting of a plurality of sections that may be snapped together to indicate a balanced or unbalanced offensive line. The football instructing device of the Engle patent does not include any means for attaching a plurality of player position mats nor does it disclose any means for identifying the position of the defensive players. Further, the football instructing device of the Engle patent contains no disclosure relating to identifying a particular play which would be carried through a particular hole in the offensive line.
A number of prior art devices have been developed to facilitate the teaching of the game of football in a classroom or adjacent a playing surface. These prior art devices consist mainly of a board which may be positioned either horizontally or vertically and upon which are positioned a plurality of models which depict the various positions of the individual players. A representative sample of devices which employ a board on which a plurality of players are positioned is disclosed by the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 2,158,368 issued to V. C. Hurt; U.S. Pat. No. 2,579,105 issued to J. J. Baldine; U.S. Pat. No. 2,643,466 issued to R. S. Bucher; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,946,134 issued to R. D. Neilson.
Although the patents listed above disclose devices used in instructing individuals in the correct techniques employed in the game of football, they do not disclose nor suggest the training aid of the present invention.